All posts tagged ‘Kung Fu Panda’

Kung Fu Panda 2 follows the adventures of the Dragon Master, Po the Panda (Jack Black), and the Furious Five as they fight against the evil Lord Chen (Gary Oldman). As the movie name hints, they are all kung fu warriors of an animal-filled version of feudal China. Lord Chen, the heir to the throne, decided many years ago to have all the pandas in the land wiped out to keep a prophecy of his undoing from being fulfilled. Lord Chen, after being banished for removal of the pandas, has now returned with a sizable army and an arsenal of cannons. With these cannons he aims to conquer his homeland and rule all of China. Po and the Furious Five are sent to defeat him and – unknowingly – Po seeks to fulfill his destiny.

2. Will I like it?

Yes. The action sequences are just as exciting as any other summer blockbuster. This movie is very well scripted, voiced and directed. The music is by Hans Zimmer (Inception) and John Powell (Oscar Winner for How to Train Your Dragon) which works so great with the timing of all the action scenes, you will forget you are watching a movie for children. Speaking of action timing, Guillermo del Toro was the Executive Producer for this masterpiece and his influences can be seen throughout.

3. Will my kids like it?

Yes! My expert movie panel of geeklets, three year-old girl and seven year-old boy, both gave two thumbs up. Rarely do they both like the same movie, especially my daughter. However, Kung Fu Panda 2 offers a very strong female character named Tigress (Angelina Jolie) who at many times takes the lead role during the movie. Also, Po relies heavily on the teamwork that the Furious Five provide and the movie illustrates that well without dwelling on it. Continue Reading “10 Things Parents Should Know About Kung Fu Panda 2” »

Do your preschoolers want to play with your video game system, but you’re not yet comfortable letting them do so? One option is to get them the V.Smile Motion™ Active Learning System. I recently received a free system and three games to review. This system is designed for kids aged 3 – 7, and all the games are educational in multiple ways. Most of the games were easy for my five year old, but it should be quite educational for three and four year olds, while still being a lot of fun for kids up to seven or eight. My eight year old daughter enjoys some of the games.

The game system comes with one Smartridge, but many others are available with characters familiar to most kids. Titles include, but are not limited to: Scooby-Doo, Thomas the Tank Engine, Winnie the Pooh, Spider-Man, Disney Fairies, Pixar’s Up!, Handy Manny, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Ni Hao Kai Lan. The game system also comes with a flash drive called the V.Link. In some of the games, you can use it to track your kids’ scores and to earn bonus games online. Also, this learning system is completely compatible with the entire set of V.Smile Smartridge games.

The one included wireless controller can be set up for right-handed or left-handed children. If you acquire a second controller, games can be played as two player. The game unit has a built-in compartment which can store up to nine games. However, if you choose to store the V.Link in there as well, it would hold fewer games. The system itself is cute and colorful, and it was incredibly easy to set up. I just inserted the included batteries into the unit and the controller, plugged the cables into the front of my television, and it was ready to go. Continue Reading “Vtech V.Smile Motion™ Active Learning System: You know, for kids!” »